9Explore the Oltrarno: Florence’s Artisan Quarter

Cross the Arno River over Ponte Santa Trinita or Ponte alla Carraia and you’ll find yourself in Oltrarno, literally meaning “beyond the Arno.” This neighborhood is where Florence still feels lived-in, far from the tourist-heavy historic center.
Here, narrow lanes are lined with workshops where artisans craft leather goods, jewelry, wood inlays, and handmade paper using techniques passed down for centuries. Via Maggio and Via Romana are especially rich with studios where you can watch craftsmen at work. Highlights in Oltrarno include the Basilica of Santo Spirito, designed by Brunelleschi, with its simple façade hiding a luminous Renaissance interior. The lively Piazza Santo Spirito is a local hangout, dotted with cafes where you can sip a spritz as you people-watch. Don’t miss the Brancacci Chapel inside Santa Maria del Carmine, which houses Masaccio’s groundbreaking frescoes—works that changed the course of Renaissance painting.

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